Hey everyone! If you are stopping by from GRS, thank you. 🙂 My name is Michelle and I’ve been blogging since August of 2011. You can read all about my life on my About Me page. My extra income posts seem to be popular, so be sure to read those. Last month I made almost $8K in side hustle income. Hopefully it’ll just keep increasing!
Today, I have an awesome post from Natalie at Debt and the Girl. Enjoy!
I have to say that ever since I started this journey to rid myself of debt, it has sometimes been a struggle to stay motivated. We all have experienced burnout when we put our all into something and its only natural. No matter how much determination you have for something, it is normal to lose motivation especially when it is one of the things you think about most of all. Blogging in the PF community has been an immense help in staying determined with this, but what else can you do to stay motivated?
One of the things that have always been the downfall of many is hanging out with those who have different priorities. The same can be said when you are trying to save money. If you have many friends that are looser with their finances, then you may be tempted to spend to keep up as well. For example, I have a friend who treats money like water. By that I mean, she thinks it will never run out. Some of her crazier purchases include a $200 sun tent that she only used once and several expensive handbags that are collecting dust on the shelf.
Her parents have always helped her out with money and so she has never really learned to deal with it. I love her to death but I have had to tell her that I can’t always go to the fancier restaurants because I am trying to pay off debt. Luckily, she understands and we are still able to have cheaper outings on the cheap. I also try to read as much as I can about what others are doing to save money. This is not solely reserved to reading PF blogs.
One of my favorite things to do is read economic articles on MSN Money or Yahoo and read up about how others budget and live. I have even found valuable advice on sites like Pinterest that have all kinds of ideas on saving money such as making your own laundry detergent or making your own face masks. There have also been many articles lately ton the internet hat center on everyday people paying off enormous amounts of debt through hard work and determination.
I like to read those to further re-motivate myself to keep doing what I am doing. Probably my biggest motivator is the thought of being financially independent. The idea that I can one day achieve my dream of being secure and be comfortable in life no matter what is what gives me the energy to keep going. I know that I can realize my wishes by working hard and being self-disciplined. For all my efforts, I do try and do fun things for myself as well so that I don’t completely run myself down. It is important to have little splurges in life so that you can enjoy things and not hate everything in life.
Staying motivated can be tough but its important to keep yourself going:
Hang out with people who share your goals if possible.
Read as much as you can for knowledge and inspiration.
Don’t forget why you started being frugal in the first place and know that there is no greater feeling than being financially sound even when everyone else is spending up a storm.
Know that what you are doing is for the best in the long run and remember to do fun things for yourself to keep things interesting.
The path to financial independence is long but it is so worth it in the end. I can’t wait till that day is here. Natalie is writer, instructor, marketer and a full time debt destroyer at her PF blog. Read more about her story at debtandthegirl.com!
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